Bachelors in Graphic Design
School of Social and Human Studies
Academic Freedom to Discover Your Purpose
Open Curriculum Design at Atlantic International University
Our Graphic design major at Atlantic International University, bachelor in graphic design is a creative and technical program that prepares undergraduate graphic design program students for careers in visual communication. The bachelor in graphic design program is grounded in AIU’s ideals of academic freedom and progressive learning, and encourages students to engage in a variety of design areas including digital media, typography, branding, and user experience design. With self-paced learning in graphic design bachelor degree guided by their own design plans, and the latest technologies, students at AIU will develop the design sensibility and technical prowess abundant in today’s creative landscape.
Contact Us Today!
Begin Your Journey!
AIU’s Summer of Innovation and Growth gives you the ability to earn up to $5000 in tuition credit by completing free lessons and courses.
Whether you’re looking to acquire new skills, advance your career, or simply explore new interests, AIU is your gateway to a world of opportunities. With free access to 3400 lessons and hundreds of courses the ability to earn credits and earn certificates there’s no better time to start learning.
Join us today as a Guest Student and take the first step towards a brighter, more empowered future.
Explore. Learn. Achieve.
Courses and Topics : Bachelors in Graphic Design
Important: Below is an example of the topics or areas you may develop and work on during your studies. By no means is it a complete or required list, as AIU programs do not follow a standardized curriculum. It is meant solely as a reference point and example. Want to learn more about the curriculum design at AIU?
Check here: Course and Curriculum
AIU’s Bachelor’s in Graphic Design includes a thorough and flexible curriculum, inspiring students to investigate design theory, design and digital media, & tools and application. AIU allows graphic design degree online students to merge their academic routes into a flexible and interdisciplinary format that matches their personal passions and professional goals. The visual communication degree program at AIU delivers fundamental and advanced topics, providing students skills that can be applied to any creative career.
- Principles of Design
- Typography and Layout
- Color Theory
- Digital Illustration
- Branding and Identity Design
- Web and Mobile Interface Design (UI/UX)
Orientation Courses
In AIU’s Bachelor’s in Graphic Design program, students begin with a series of orientation courses that put students on a path to academic success and personal development. The orientation courses help students understand the university’s philosophy of self-directed learning and prepare students to embark on their creative and intellectual journey. Orientation courses also introduce students to tools, research, and best practice time management strategies that are essential to thriving in an environment that is flexible like the AIU online platform.
- Communication & Investigation (Comprehensive Resume)
- Organization Theory (Portfolio)
- Experiential Learning (Autobiography)
- Seminar Administrative Development (Book Summary)
- Seminar Cultural Development (Practical Experience)
- Seminar International Development (Publications)
Research Projects in Bachelors in Graphic Design
AIU’s Bachelor’s in Graphic Design program presents exciting research possibilities that merge creativity with real-world application. Students in the program are able to engage in research projects involving exploring the interface between typography and user experience in digital environments, listing the evolution of brand strategies in the social media phenomenon, and designing an innovative graphic design solution for sustainable packaging design.
Other projects students may participate in include exploring the cultural impacts on today’s design trends and experimenting with augmented reality interfaces as a way to engage users creatively. Most importantly, these creative design program research projects allow graphic design curriculum students to understand how the principles of design can be considered in a way to advance their creativity and critical thinking; a vital component to their overall deposit of design understanding, while being involved in research.
- MBM300 Thesis Proposal
- MBM302 Bachelor Thesis (5,000 words)
Dissertation & Thesis Defense
At Atlantic International University (AIU), the Dissertation & Thesis Defense process for students with a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design is the final step in their education, where they showcase both their ingenuity and knowledge of design principles. Students research innovative avenues of digital arts, typographic design, branding, user experience design, and are usually guided by faculty mentors.
The thesis not only examines their theoretical understanding but also displays their skills in applying design theories to real world applications. This process has the potential to visual design & digital media prepare graduates to contribute to the field of graphic design as it continues to rapidly evolve, while allowing them to understand visual communication and develop effective design and creative arts solutions that conceptually and tactically create positive change.
Bachelors in Graphic Design Student Experience
The journey students take while studying in the Bachelor of Graphic Design program at AIU is unique, constructive, genuine, and full of creative potential. The open curriculum and flexible learning model at AIU allow students to personalize their learning experience however they want and have academic interests shaped by their desired career path. Students are engaged in real-world design scenarios, collaborate with other students around the world, and have access to many digital tools, virtual workshops, and creative tools. Students are also working with people and academic advisors who want to see students succeed, no matter how much time it takes. Finally, given AIU’s open curriculum of design principles and engaged team of academic advisors who care for them as long as they are at AIU, we provide our students with continuous support, ideas, creativity, and motivation to keep exploring the limits of their creativity, and develop their professional design portfolio.
Community & Social
At AIU for a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design, the program highlights community and social engagement as a fundamental part of creative development. Students investigate the impact of design on society and apply their skills to community considered projects. Students gain experience in community collaboration and understand social responsibility in design, allowing them to become responsible brand strategy contributors to their communities, whether local or global. The students will gain experience towards their portfolio as well as build an ethical design practice that is crucial in today’s interactive world.
Academic Resources
At AIU, students in the Bachelor’s Graphic Design program learn how community and social engagement are integral to their creative development. They examine the intersection of design and society and use their design skills for purposeful community projects. Students actively engage in collaborative projects and practical based experiences before graduating, establishing their own social responsibility in design, and allowing them to contribute to their local community and even the global community. In a world where we are interconnected and committed to each of our professional portfolios, this experience is good for students’ development and ethical design practice.
Virtual Campus
Complete assignments online or offline at your convenience with 24/7 access to distance learning through AIU’s Virtual Campus. Step by Step guides including videos, tutorials, live webinars and examples for each course. All materials can be access on all web browsers as well as via AIU's Mobile App which brings all the features of the Virtual Camus to your Mobile Device.
My AIU Elements
MyAIU’s primary goal is to go beyond Academics, it looks to guide students through 11 elements that are key to living life optimally in all aspects. By identifying and reflecting on these key areas, an opportunity arises to holistically address them, through positive change, habits, reinforcement and tools to keep students on their chosen path.
AIU TV & Radio
The students have the opportunity to produce, edit and host their own show reaching a worldwide audience, the AIU community and giving notice of their expertise/passion in the subject. AIUTV & AIU Radio allow students to explore new ways to communicate, develop a platform and form potential collaboration with likeminded individuals.
AIU Campus Mundi
AIU Campus Mundi is a monthly magazine that gathers the most notable news and information about the university and its members in one convenient place. The magazine allows our community to be well informed, involved and keep in tough regardless of their geographic location. AIU Campus Mundi publishes, news, research, events, awards, academic achievements.
Graduation Ceremony
Each year AIU organizes graduation ceremonies where the students can assist and share their experiences with fellow students and academic members Participation in the ceremony is optional, the day’s events include conferences, research presentations, group meetings, networking, lunch and formal dinner.
Symposiums & Webinars
Symposiums are an essential part of the Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at Atlantic International University (AIU). The symposiums at AIU provide students with an exciting forum where they can explore pretentious creativity, explore personal creative visions, and have professional opportunities to interact with others. Symposiums include faculty, upcoming designers, and industrial professionals who share their knowledge of emerging trends.
Live Classes
At Atlantic International University (AIU), we know the importance of collaborative and interactive learning experiences through live classes. On a daily basis, students are scheduled to participate in two live classes that are intentionally designed to encourage regular interaction, multifaceted learning and interpersonal relationship development with faculty and other students.
This interaction enhances the students’ comprehension of the course learning objectives and provides collaborative academic learning opportunities wherever students can produce ideas, receive prompt feedback in order to resolve issues in the materials and, ultimately develop practical skills that relate to the real-world environment. AIU is committed to providing live classes in order to honour its mission of transforming online education into an academic experience through interaction with students and instructors.
Special Projects, Research, Publications, and Co-Authorship
Students studying for a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design degree at Atlantic International University (AIU), can also participate in Special Projects, Research, Publications, and Co-Autorship as part of their academic journey. Special Projects allow students to creatively explore design, experiment with design principles and apply to various interactions with visual communication, while researching and creating new / existing literature with their chosen topic of study.
Whether it be an independent project, cutting-edge design research, or co-authoring articles with faculty or peers, students can develop knowledge and experience about presenting their work to broader audiences. Being involved with Special Projects is a hands-on experience that provides students with opportunities to develop their portfolios while allowing students to use their creativity and innovation, critical thinking skills and supplement their academic writing to understand the importance of academic writing and writing for publication – each of which is useful experience for employability, and for the academic community.
Apply Now for Bachelors in Graphic Design at AIU
Start Your Application
Career Center for Bachelors in Graphic Design
The Career Center at AIU is a crucial resource that guides students in a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design program from their academic experience to the world of professional success. The Career Center supports students to provide individualized career advising counseling, portfolio development and support, interview preparation, and access to global career opportunities in design.
Students benefit from career expert advice related to freelancing, internship opportunities, entrepreneurial developments, and employment opportunities, specifically in the areas of advertising, digital media, branding, and UI/UX. The center works diligently to ensure that each student’s creative strengths and career goals align, to ensure the students are job-ready, prepared to face the marketplace, and able to flourish in the future creative design workforce of today and tomorrow.
Job Description
Graduates of the Bachelor’s in Graphic Design at AIU will have acquired various transferable skills that allow them multiple creative and professional opportunities in and across industries. AIU graduates are ready to step into meaningful positions in many fields in today’s rapidly evolving design environment, with strong backgrounds in visual communication, digital design technologies, and design strategy. Graduates may consider careers in tech companies, marketing agencies, publishing, fashion, or as freelance entrepreneurs – the possibilities are unlimited and exciting!
Some examples of common job titles include:
- Graphic Designer
- UI/UX Designer
- Branding Designer
- Art Director
- Web Designer
- Motion Graphics Designer
- Digital Illustrator
- Creative Director
Tools for Bachelors in Graphic Design
AIU offers students in the Bachelor’s in Graphic Design degree access to a wide range of industry-standard tools and resources that support their technical and creative development. These tools include: professional design software, like Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects) 3D modeling software (like Models), user-oriented experience design software (Figma, Sketch); online resources and libraries; virtual design studios; online collaborative tools (Canva, Miro), digital asset libraries (Adobe stock, Google images, etc.) to be used for inspiration and projects, and many more. All of these tools enable students to bring their inventive ideas and projects to life, while developing mastery of these tools just like highly skilled professionals use in the industry.
Associations for Bachelors in Graphic Design Professionals
Students enrolled in AIU’s Bachelor’s program in Graphic Design are encouraged to engage with the leading professional associations that foster growth, networking, and lifelong learning opportunities in the design profession. Professional associations offer a wealth of design related materials, events, design competitions, and professional development. Prominent associations include the [AIGA – The Professional Association for Design – https://www.aiga.org/ , International Council of Design (ICoD) – https://www.theicod.org/, Graphic Artists Guild https://graphicartistsguild.org/ , Design Council – https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/ , and the Interaction Design Association (IxDA) – https://ixda.org/ . As students engage with these communities, they are positioned to stay on top of current industry trends, enter global conversations about design, and grow their professional identity.
Explore AIU’s Virtual Campus Now
Get Started
Bachelors in Graphic Design Requirements
Atlantic International University (AIU) is excited to offer access to the Bachelor’s in Graphic Design, to all individuals who have a high school education or equivalent, and are willing to put the effort forward to explore visual communication through creativity and self-directed, purpose-designed learning. All students should feel free from rigid entrance exams and education policies which are narrowed into categorizing students by “potential” but rather personal, academic, or professional aims and goals.
Admission at AIU opens students to flexibility in the admission process and an education that embraces a broader community. Prospective students process admission at AIU through the online application as well as submission of relevant credentials that have been acquired, such as evidence of educational experience, transcript(s), personal statement, and resume, or portfolio, if available. AIU, engaged in an open admission philosophy, strives to keep the doors of opportunity open to learners from many communities in pursuit of higher education in a supportive and innovative learning community.
How Can You Apply?
- Investigate AIU & Program
Go to AIU’s website to review the Bachelor of Graphic Design course. If you are an international applicant be sure to check the international undergraduate admissions information for details about eligibility, support, documentation and more. - Talk to an Admissions Advisor
Contact through the “Request Info”; an advisor will assist with campus selection, options (i.e., credit for prior learning), next steps, etc.
- Personalize Your Program & Plan
After being accepted, work with an advisor to build your personalized pathway – AIU allows you to skip material you have already demonstrated knowledge of, plus you may receive credits for past job experience or military service. - Research Financial Aid & Scholarships
Familiarize yourself about available financial aid programs; federal grants, loans, institutional aid, state aid, or military student options.
- Begin Your Program
After your application is approved and you officially enroll you will receive university login access and orientation information.
Financial Support & Scholarships
Financial aid and scholarships are imperative to making education accessible to students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at AIU. AIU believes every applicant with the ability to prosper should have the opportunity to pursue graphic design at a variety of funding options, including scholarships, merit scholarships, need-based grants, or payment plans due in part to its partnership with the U.S. Department of Education. Funding options like these allow every student to maximize their course experience while in school, regardless of personal financial circumstances, which will allow for a wider variety of student experiences and identities in one classroom. In the end, our financial aid team will help students with the application and provide guidance on their educational funding options.
How Much is Bachelors in Graphic Design per Year?
At AIU, we offer the Bachelor’s in Graphic Design degree in a quality, flexible, and accessible way to students around the world. AIU sees tuition as a financial situation and has set up tuition to be arranged to fit your financial needs, including paying in smooth monthly installments. We encourage students to stay on top of their finances, and to afford continuing education without any financial barrier. In short, we meet our students at their price point so they can focus on developing their academic and creative skills without the stress of traditional absurd tuition. AIU’s intention now and in the future is to offer education to its learners in a cost-effective way that helps them obtain whatever educational goals they have, without the burden of a traditional excessive tuition.
FAQs
What can I do with a Bachelor in Graphic Design?
Having a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design can lead to many career options, including:
- Graphic Designer
- Web Designer
- Art Director
- Illustrator
- Brand Specialist
- UI/UX Designer
- Motion Graphics Designer
- Packaging Designer
- Advertising Designer
- Print Production Artist
These careers range across a variety of industries including advertising, publishing, digital media, and branding/corporate identity, providing avenues for creative expression and skill-based problem solving, as well as the opportunity to apply technical skills to design concepts.
Is an online graphic design degree worth it?
Yes, it is surely worth it
What skills will I learn in a graphic design degree?
Designing, UI, UX
How long does it take to complete a Bachelor in Graphic Design?
Approximately 3 years.
